Justin Nation Avatar Image

Justin Nation

Windsor, PA
The Nindersect
Nindersect

Favorite Games:
  • Rocket League
  • Neon Abyss
  • Wreckfest

4680 games reviewed
70.7 average score
71 median score
43.8% of games recommended

Justin Nation's Reviews

Strangely enough this isn't my first rodeo, back in the day I wrote for the N64HQ as well as a few other outlets on freelance gigs but then when the HQ closed I decided to step it up and started The 64 Source. As the first word of a follow-up system to the N64 began to swirl I then decided to venture out into completely new territory and started OperatioN2000, where I had very little regular reputable news to share. With no other options I decided create my own content focused on profiling key developers and their current relationship with Nintendo or "dream games" where I saw opportunities for Nintendo to dust off classics or recently-made games and do something new with them on improved hardware. This was all going pretty well until my wife and I decided to have our first child and I then decided that it was time to hang it up and focus on my family. As I closed down both sites I did decide to partner with Billy Berghammer, another former N64HQ writer, who had created his own site, PlanetN2000. We agreed to move over the relevant content from the older sites to his and on top of that I had taken a grad school class in programming in ColdFusion and decided to offer to code the front-end and back-end for a new version of his site. Through these efforts the newer and more complete Planet GameCube was born! While I would occasionally contribute to that site, helping do things like working out Louie the Cat doing rumors and other odd things, I eventually decided to stop as my family obligations grew. While I had continued to follow Nintendo through both the Wii and Wii U eras my TV time was limited enough that I began playing more PC games again. It is in the PC space that I began to play a number of independent games and they started to be the games I enjoyed the most. Between their lower price, their often less traditional gameplay and approach, and their great variety I was hooked! With the launch of the Nintendo Switch I was already excited by the possibilities. The portability factor alone meant that I would have far more options and places I could play away from the TV, and games like Breath of the Wild looked impressive. With my oldest daughter poised to start her senior year in high school and my youngest finishing out junior high I started to see an opportunity to get back into amateur games journalism once again with what is now Nintendo World Report as well but I'd initially just thought about writing some editorials periodically. Then, right before the launch of the system, Nintendo had their Nindie-focused presentation and I saw my two most beloved gaming worlds colliding. The games I had been playing on my PC could now be played in a portable way and on Nintendo hardware! Being the type who tends to work against the normal current the concept behind Nindie Spotlight was born!

At long last a high-quality and very broadly accessible baseball title is available on the Switch...

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7.5 / 10.0 - Fantasy Strike
Jul 25, 2019

While I’m pretty enthusiastic, overall, about this new fighting game the first thing I’d say is that with its controls I’d consider it to absolutely be an acquired taste...

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Jul 25, 2019

It can be a bit of a challenge to rate games that have simply been around for a while when they arrive on Switch...

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Jul 25, 2019

If you've never heard of or played any of the Mighty Switch Force titles before, and enjoy a solid puzzle platformer, you may be in luck with this one...

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Jul 25, 2019

If you're on the look out for a title with a wholesome story, cute looks, a great soundtrack, and a mix of puzzle platforming and rhythm game elements you've really lucked out with Songbird Symphony since it manages to check all of those boxes...

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Jul 25, 2019

OK, so going the retro route to make modern games that capture the look and essence of playing games on platforms like the Gameboy is a thing...

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6.8 / 10.0 - PAWARUMI
Jul 24, 2019

Among the genres that have become quite well represented on the Switch arcade-style shooters are most definitely holding their own...

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7.4 / 10.0 - Automachef
Jul 23, 2019

Factory construction and automation games have been "a thing" and pretty popular in the PC space for quite some time now...

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Jul 22, 2019

Since there's a general lack of racing games on Switch, in particular those that aren't cart racers of some kind, it's always good to see another option available...

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Jul 19, 2019

While the beat-em-up was an arcade and early console staple in more recent years it hasn't had much representation...

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6 / 10.0 - Mochi Mochi Boy
Jul 19, 2019

While its budget price and cute pixel art looks may call to you I'd say it is worth taking the time to check out Mochi Mochi Boy a bit before you consider picking it up...

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8.5 / 10.0 - Etherborn
Jul 18, 2019

The definite stand-out title of the week is Etherborn, a gorgeous, challenging, and somewhat mind-bending 3D environmental puzzler...

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Jul 16, 2019

Delivering gameplay somewhere between an endless runner and a space flight simulator, Lost Orbit: Terminal Velocity is a pretty unique, and at times challenging, experience...

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6.9 / 10.0 - Quest Hunter
Jul 12, 2019

Who doesn't love a decent action-RPG dungeon crawler where you can explore, kill, loot, and work out puzzles? Quest Hunter has most of those elements present, and it's great that you can party up with others for sure, but its main problem is that from top to bottom the experience just feels so vanilla...

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6.5 / 10.0 - Streets of Rogue
Jul 12, 2019

This is a title I've had my eye on since it initially hit early access on PC where I struggled to find the fun and had put it down in the hopes that on final release it would all come together...

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5.9 / 10.0 - Bouncy Bullets
Jul 12, 2019

Without a doubt 3D platforming has a tendency to be a train wreck when implemented poorly...

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7.6 / 10.0 - Blazing Chrome
Jul 11, 2019

As a huge fan of the classic arcade run n' gun shooters I hold Contra in very high regard, so it's always a thrill when someone manages to put out a title that can give it a run for its money...

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Jul 11, 2019

With an abundance of puzzle games of all styles and flavors it is undoubtedly hard to make yourself stand out...

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5.9 / 10.0 - Vektor Wars
Jul 11, 2019

Eye-searing colors and a lack of much variety make this a pretty short-lived diversion

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Jul 9, 2019

Having been previously introduced to the, shall I say "jiggly", nature of the Senran Kagura series a while back when a new title featuring pinball-style gameplay was announced it made me laugh and I knew I'd have to check it out...

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